How to Find Chinatown Parking

Last Updated: October 3, 2016

In San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown neighborhood, parking spots are at a premium. To make the search easier, we’ve created this comprehensive parking guide.

In it you’ll find the best options to park depending on your situation, and what you need to know to park there. There’s also information on: residential parking rules, tow zones and restrictions, the best tips and links sourced from around the web, and other facts for parking in San Francisco that applies to Chinatown.

Make this your first read on parking in Chinatown, San Francisco, and enjoy your trip!

Things to Know Before You Go

Street parking in Chinatown is notoriously tough to come by. For visitors, we recommend nabbing an off-street parking spot for your visit to Chinatown. If you decide to make a go at street parking, make sure you keep these important aspects in mind:

Street Parking in San Francisco

Residential Restrictions: Most of Chinatown is within Residential Parking Zone C. Unless you have a permit, you can only park for two hours at a time. Residential zone signs are not prevalent, so check the map below in advance to ensure you don’t accidentally park in a restricted zone.

Free Night Parking: Metered spots are free after 6 p.m. and before 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday. But watch out for residential restrictions.

Free Parking on Sundays: Metered spots are free all day on Sundays in Chinatown (according to the SFMTA), but competition for these free spots can be intense.

Don’t Overpay: If you are paying more than $3 per hour at a parking meter, you’re better off parking in a garage.

For more on the nuances of San Francisco street parking, including more on curb colors, “feeding the meter” restrictions, and the city-wide maximum parking time (72 hours), visit the SFMTA site or visit our parking basics page.

Off-Street Parking in Chinatown (Our Recommendation)

Get Validated: If you’re visiting a Chinatown merchant, ask if they validate for your garage.

Don’t Get Shut Out: Verify the operating hours of the garage. Some Chinatown garages, especially those on the east side bordering the Financial District, close early.

Reserve in Advance: Saturdays are Chinatown’s busiest day, so it’s wise to reserve parking in advance.

Consider Parking outside of Chinatown: If you don’t mind taking a shuttle, the Golden Gateway Garage at 250 Clay St. in the Financial District offers $3 weekend parking. The shuttle around Chinatown is free with a purchase at participating merchants. Learn more about the shuttle program.

Best Places to Park in Chinatown

Best Parking Spot: Portsmouth Square Garage at 733 Kearny St stands out as the best parking option in Chinatown due to its convenient location, reasonable price ($3 per hour), clean private restroom, and diligent on-site staff.

Beat the Street: Where You Can Find the Lowest Parking Rate in Chinatown

Use the chart below to find the lowest parking rates in Chinatown.

Day

Time Period

Parking Type

Best Rate

Where to Park

Mon-Sat

0-5mins

Street Parking

Free

White, green, or unpainted curb

Mon-Sat

5-<30mins

Street Parking

$0.25-$6

Green or unpainted curb

Mon-Sat

30mins-<2 Hours

Street Parking

$1-$12

Unpainted Curb

Mon-Sat

2-<8 Hours

Garage

$3 per hour

Portsmouth Square Garage

Mon-Sat

+8 Hours

Lot

$25.00

Tam’s Parking Lot

Sun

Anytime

Street Parking

Free

Any Barring Other Restrictions

Chinatown Parking Lots and Garages

There are four public parking garages and one open lot within Chinatown. They are:

Known For: Great daily rate, friendly owner, car “tetris style” lot where it may take a while to retrieve car

Entrance: This lot is essentially a blank lot sandwiched between two buildings. Pull up to meet the attendant. The lot is on the right side of Washington St. opposite Portsmouth Square Plaza (see below)

Street Parking in Chinatown

According to Parknav, which provides drivers real-time parking information, the best places to look for street parking are:

California Street between Stockton and Grant – this is a two-way street with ample street parking on both sides. Warning: extreme hill parking skills needed, and you’ll likely have a trolley full of spectators looking on.

Bush Street between Powell and Stockton – this is a one-way road heading east. Check the first five spots on the north side of Bush Street. Because this street is in Residential Parking Permit Zone C, there is only a 2-hour limit and a 2-hour tow away period between 7am-9am.

Pacific Avenue – there are parking options on this one-way street heading west, and your best chances are on the blocks on either side of Chinatown. Start your search at Stockton Street and you may find a spot before you hit Mason Street, one block outside of Chinatown to the west.

You have a chance at street parking on Pacific Avenue just northeast of Chinatown, between Stockton and Kearney. This is a one-way street heading west.Check Pacific Avenue just northwest of Chinatown past Powell St. before Mason St. After Powell, Pacific becomes a two-way street, with street parking on the south side.

Metered street parking is available in Chinatown. Restrictions follow the city-wide colored curb system, where painted curb colors align with restrictions during certain times. See the parking basics page for details.

Chinatown Metered Parking Pricing Area Zones

Chinatown has four pricing zones for metered street parking shown in the map below. See metered pricing zones for all San Francisco on the city’s website.

Map Color

Metered Period

Rate

Green

7a-6p Mon-Sat

$1-$3.50

Red

8a/9a-6p Mon-Sat

$0.25-$2

Blue

Blue: 7a/9a-6p Mon-Sat

$0.25-$6

White

8a/9a-6p Mon-Sat

Free (or no parking)

Paying for Street Parking in Chinatown

Like all parking meters in San Francisco, parking meters in Chinatown accept coins, credit cards, PaybyPhone, and pre-paid SFMTA Parking Cards. Read more about the street meter payment options.

San Francisco’s Smart Pricing Street Parking program can result in fluctuating meter rates. During periods of high demand, rates are increased to encourage parkers to park for shorter times. The southwest corner of Chinatown has Smart Pricing, so be prepared for inconsistent meter rates in this area.

The northwest part of Chinatown is in Residential Permit Parking Zone C. Parkers without this permit are permitted to park for the posted time limit (typically 2-hours) unless other restrictions apply. You can view the full San Francisco residential permit map here.

Where to Park: You may find street parking two blocks west of here on Bush Street. Otherwise Dragon’s Gate is between two parking garages: St. Mary’s Parking Garage within Chinatown and the large Shutter Stockton Garage toward Union Square.